Top House Democrats said Thursday they see broadband affordability and access as a priority in the next COVID-19 stimulus bill, despite questions about the prospects for addressing such issues in future legislation. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and other Democrats unveiled a revised broadband legislative proposal that draws largely from a January plan (see 2001290052) and other existing legislation. Senate Democrats plan to file a modified companion to the Emergency Educational Connections Act (HR-6563) in a bid for emergency E-rate funding. House Commerce ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., told us it may be possible to include some form of broadband funding in the next pandemic aid measure.
Despite concerns raised by some automakers, highway safety groups and others, the FCC appears likely to move forward before fall on a proposal to open 5.9 GHz channels to sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed users, agency and industry officials said in interviews this week. Wi-Fi advocates see the band as transition spectrum, which can be deployed faster than 6 GHz. Both sides filed replies this week on a December NPRM (see 2004280064).
Spotify usage shifted amid shelter-in-place directives, with in-car, web-based and wearables listening down as much as double digit percentages, while listening surged via smart TVs and game consoles, said its Q1 shareholder letter Wednesday. Consoles were a top-three platform in hours listened among advertising-supported users. Connected device usage rose 40%-plus among global ad-supported monthly active users (MAUs), it said Wednesday.
China, India, Indonesia and Chile are among the top countries the U.S. is targeting for weak intellectual property protections, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Wednesday in its annual special 301 report (see 1904250052). In a controversial move, the administration singled out Amazon. President Donald Trump and the company have been at loggerheads over some issues.
The FCC is “finally” getting tough on China under President Donald Trump and Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Brendan Carr said during an American Conservative Union webinar Wednesday. Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general, warned of the threat posed by China. Carr is a critic of China's governing regime (see 2004240045).
As the coronavirus pandemic heightens the need for ubiquitous broadband access, some want the FCC to hurry release of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund money. Possible measures include moving the auction date earlier than the proposed Oct. 22, or a quick review of RDOF applications deemed shovel-ready. Some small providers are concerned they won't have enough time to review available census blocks and make prudent bids due to scheduling conflicts stemming from COVID-19. They are seeking an auction delay. Consensus indicates neither an auction delay nor accelerated timetable is likely, we found in interviews this month.
Ligado hopes to have its L-band spectrum deployed terrestrially within 18 months, now that it has FCC approval (see 2004200039), CEO Doug Smith told us Wednesday. Senate Armed Services Committee leaders are eyeing a hearing next week on DOD opposition to the FCC’s Ligado decision, Capitol Hill aides and lobbyists told us.
A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel Tuesday was skeptical about DOJ arguments to seal a lower court’s ruling blocking the agency's attempt to force Facebook to break Messenger encryption. Judges Margaret McKeown, Randy Smith and Jacqueline Nguyen questioned the potential harm to investigations, while weighing the public’s right to access. Livestreamed argument was in ACLU Foundation v. DOJ (19-15472, in Pacer).
There's no consensus whether mobile and fixed communications services are complementary or substitutes in docket 20-60 comments this week for the FCC's communications market competitiveness report to Congress. The agency got requests for further smoothing access to poles and rights of way for wireline broadband access.
The FCC should consider making permanent temporary spectrum assignments it approved in reaction to COVID-19, and in a way that treats everyone fairly, Commissioner Brendan Carr said during a Forum Europe webinar Tuesday. Carr said U.S. networks are doing well under this “surprise stress test.”